WRITTEN BY: Kara Morelock, Guest Writer

That’s right, it’s spooky season. A scary movie is exactly what you need to kick off your month. One of today’s most talked-about scary movies is Hereditary.

To recap, this story starts in the rural state of Utah where the grandmother of the Graham family dies. After her death, her daughter, Annie Graham, played byToni Collette, falls down a hole of never-ending family secrets, leading to her insanity. 

Director Ari Aster and fellow writers really throw their audience for a loop with the story’s insight on how powerful a person’s grief, trauma and family history can impact their words and actions

One thing that’s got people coming back to this movie is the layers of insanity one must unveil throughout the film. To put this in perspective, one comment from Rotten Tomatoes — in which Hereditary has a whopping 89%score from critics and a 67%score from its audience — really stuck out to me as a popular discernment from watchers.

“Hereditary may not be as terrifying as the advanced hype has suggested, but it’s a provocative and subtle horror film with layers you don’t find in more conventional haunted house tales.”

Horror movies like Hereditary have been all the rave recently because of viewers’ appreciation for more than just the physical scares in a movie. Now, audiences want a scare that lasts even after the movie is over, something that messes with their head. That is why other films like Us (2019) and Parasite are also well-reviewed.

These movies, along with Hereditary share similar takeaways. According to the many tags, most viewers feel unsettled, disturbed or terrified after watching the film. From this, it is also safe to say critics feel the same.

One critic in particular, Peter Bradshaw from the Guardian, discusses his overall positive outlook on the movie. He compliments the directing, shooting and orchestral music along with Toni Collette’s amazing acting. 

“She is a scary-movie Medea in extreme closeup,” she said. However even more than that, he brings up a very prominent observation as to why this film is so popular among the horror community.

As mentioned previously, this film is known for its psychological layers and what adds to those layers is the family dynamic, specifically with Annie Graham and her belated mother. 

“Collette’s Annie turns into a poltergeist haunting herself: thrashing and contorting with agony, with her anguished but rational need to keep it together and keep her family together,” Bradshaw explained. Now does that not mess with your head.

Hereditary is a well-perceived horror film that messes with your psyche and will leave you speechless and terrified, exactly what you want out of a horror movie. The reviews speak for themselves and not in a negative way. This is a must-see movie to start your spooky season right.